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General Escalates Libya Attack General Escalates Libya Attack
(about 11 hours later)
TOBRUK, LIBYA — A Libyan general who has led a six-month campaign to rid the country of Islamists sharply escalated his attacks on Benghazi on Wednesday, with a concerted ground assault and airstrikes — pledging to give up command if he succeeds. TOBRUK, Libya — A Libyan general who has led a six-month campaign to rid the country of Islamists sharply escalated his attacks on Benghazi on Wednesday, with a concerted ground assault and airstrikes — pledging to give up command if he succeeds.
Gun battles raged in several parts of the city throughout the day to an extent not seen since the general, Khalifa Hifter, 71, began his campaign six months ago, before a backlash by Islamist militias — some of them hard-liners like Ansar Al Sharia — forced his soldiers and their allies to retreat to the outskirts of Benghazi. In a televised address announcing the assault, General Hifter, who calls his campaign Operation Dignity, declared that his men “are now ready to reach their most important goal for this phase, which is the liberation of the city of Benghazi.”Gun battles raged in several parts of the city throughout the day to an extent not seen since the general, Khalifa Hifter, 71, began his campaign six months ago, before a backlash by Islamist militias — some of them hard-liners like Ansar Al Sharia — forced his soldiers and their allies to retreat to the outskirts of Benghazi. In a televised address announcing the assault, General Hifter, who calls his campaign Operation Dignity, declared that his men “are now ready to reach their most important goal for this phase, which is the liberation of the city of Benghazi.”
His latest advance is part of a sharp escalation of fighting on both the eastern and western ends of the country despite the urgent pleas of United Nations officials and Western diplomats for a nationwide cease-fire. “The international community cannot tolerate the continuous spilling of Libyan blood,” United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon declared this week on a surprise visit to Tripoli, the capital. “If sustainable peace is not restored, prosperity and a better life will be a distant dream. This is what hangs in the balance.”His latest advance is part of a sharp escalation of fighting on both the eastern and western ends of the country despite the urgent pleas of United Nations officials and Western diplomats for a nationwide cease-fire. “The international community cannot tolerate the continuous spilling of Libyan blood,” United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon declared this week on a surprise visit to Tripoli, the capital. “If sustainable peace is not restored, prosperity and a better life will be a distant dream. This is what hangs in the balance.”
Three years after the ouster and killing of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, Libya has descended into a violent contest between two rival factions. One faction, which portrays itself as a bulwark against Islamist extremists, includes General Hifter; other former Qaddafi military men; certain tribal groups and the western mountain city of Zintan.Three years after the ouster and killing of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, Libya has descended into a violent contest between two rival factions. One faction, which portrays itself as a bulwark against Islamist extremists, includes General Hifter; other former Qaddafi military men; certain tribal groups and the western mountain city of Zintan.
The other faction, which portrays itself as fighting off a form of counterrevolution, includes extremist and more moderate Islamists; members of the ethnic Berber minority; other local or tribal groups, and the major coastal city of Misrata. (Although the fighting in the east pits Islamist militias against renegade military units, the fighting in the west is far less ideological.) The other faction, which portrays itself as fighting off a form of counterrevolution, includes extremist and more moderate Islamists; members of the ethnic Berber minority; other local or tribal groups, and the major coastal city of Misurata. (Although the fighting in the east pits Islamist militias against renegade military units, the fighting in the west is far less ideological.)
The strife has turned into a regional proxy war, with Qatar providing support for the Islamist or Misrata-aligned faction, while the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are backing General Hifter and the anti-Islamists. The United Arab Emirates has conducted airstrikes from Egyptian bases against opposing militias in Tripoli, and on Wednesday The Associated Press reported that a Libyan lawmaker and two unnamed Egyptian officials said that Egypt had allowed General Hifter’s pilots to use Egyptian jets in airstrikes on Islamists in eastern Libya. The strife has turned into a regional proxy war, with Qatar providing support for the Islamist or Misurata-aligned faction, while the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are backing General Hifter and the anti-Islamists. The United Arab Emirates has conducted airstrikes from Egyptian bases against opposing militias in Tripoli, and on Wednesday The Associated Press reported that a Libyan lawmaker and two unnamed Egyptian officials said that Egypt had allowed General Hifter’s pilots to use Egyptian jets in airstrikes on Islamists in eastern Libya.
Spokesmen for President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt and for General Hifter, however, denied that Egypt had participated in the attacks. Yet Egypt has pledged to train Libyan soldiers to fight Islamist “terrorists,” and in his televised address, General Hifter thanked unspecified countries that had assisted in his struggle against “terrorism.”Spokesmen for President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt and for General Hifter, however, denied that Egypt had participated in the attacks. Yet Egypt has pledged to train Libyan soldiers to fight Islamist “terrorists,” and in his televised address, General Hifter thanked unspecified countries that had assisted in his struggle against “terrorism.”
Col. Saqer al-Joroshi, who oversees the general’s small air force, said any help from other countries had involved only indirect support, like sharing of intelligence. The battle for Benghazi would be over “in a few days,” but capturing the surrounding towns could take much longer, Colonel Joroshi said. The general has the support of the portion of the recently elected Parliament that has been meeting here in Tobruk, near the Egyptian border.Col. Saqer al-Joroshi, who oversees the general’s small air force, said any help from other countries had involved only indirect support, like sharing of intelligence. The battle for Benghazi would be over “in a few days,” but capturing the surrounding towns could take much longer, Colonel Joroshi said. The general has the support of the portion of the recently elected Parliament that has been meeting here in Tobruk, near the Egyptian border.
But the rival faction controls Misrata and Tripoli — where they have tried to establish their own government — and much of the coast. In the last week they have begun to threaten Zintan. With little tangible success six months after he began his campaign, General Hifter appeared on Wednesday to be narrowing his personal ambitions. Last spring, he seemed to present himself as a new strongman modeled on Mr. Sisi, and he appeared on television to announce that he was leading a military takeover. But the rival faction controls Misurata and Tripoli — where they have tried to establish their own government — and much of the coast. In the last week they have begun to threaten Zintan. With little tangible success six months after he began his campaign, General Hifter appeared on Wednesday to be narrowing his personal ambitions. Last spring, he seemed to present himself as a new strongman modeled on Mr. Sisi, and he appeared on television to announce that he was leading a military takeover.
In his television appearance before Saturday’s assault, however, he pledged that when his forces took Benghazi he would relinquish command — apparently seeking to dispel fears that he might become a new dictator.In his television appearance before Saturday’s assault, however, he pledged that when his forces took Benghazi he would relinquish command — apparently seeking to dispel fears that he might become a new dictator.